Turbine equipment

ABSTRACT

Part of compressed air discharged from a compressor is cooled by a cooler, and merged with a working fluid for a turbine to cool rotor blades of the turbine. Further, air from the compressor is bled through introduction passages, and the bled air is cooled by coolers and introduced to stationary blades of the turbine. The stationary blades of the turbine are cooled with air cooled by the coolers. A sufficient cooling effect is obtained by a small amount of air, and the amount of compressed air bled through the introduction passages is decreased. Compression power is converted into turbine output effectively.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to turbine equipment having a compressor, acombustor, and a turbine.

BACKGROUND ART

Various ideas have been incorporated into turbine power generationequipment (turbine equipment) having a compressor, a combustor and aturbine in order to increase an electrical efficiency and a thermalefficiency. Of them, an idea of bleeding air from the compressor, andintroducing it into the turbine to cool turbine blades has been put intopractice. Cooling of the stationary blades of the turbine is performedby bleeding compressed air having a pressure corresponding to astationary blade stage from the compressor, and introducing it into thesite of a predetermined stage of the turbine. Cooling of rotor blades ofthe turbine is performed by introducing part of discharge air from thecompressor into the turbine.

Conventional turbine equipment consumed a large amount of compressedair, because much air is required for cooling of the blades. Bladecooling air has a very low rate of conversion into output by turbinestages, and has decreased the rate of conversion into turbine output.

The present invention has been accomplished in view of the abovecircumstances, and its object is to provide turbine equipment capable ofsufficiently cooling turbine blades while saving compressed air.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The turbine equipment of the present invention comprises a gas turbinehaving an introduction passage for introducing air, which has been bledfrom a compressor, for cooling blades of the turbine, characterized inthat a cooler for precooling bled air for blade cooling is provided inthe introduction passage in the gas turbine.

According to this feature, air for blade cooling can be cooled by thecooler and introduced into the turbine, so that the temperature of airintroduced to the blades of the turbine can be lowered. Since compressedair for blade cooling is decreased, air for turbine actuation isincreased. Thus, compression power can be effectively converted intoturbine output, and power generation output increases.

In the turbine equipment of the present invention, moreover, an airrecovery blade is provided in a turbine, and air recovery intercoolingcan be performed simultaneously. The resulting cold water is used tocool intake air for a low pressure compressor. Thus, power generationoutput and electrical efficiency can be increased.

Furthermore, fuel is used as a cold heat source for the cooler. Thus,cooling of compressed air can be carried out using a very simpleconfiguration.

Additionally, the cooler is a fuel reformer. Thus, the increasedcalories of fuel can be made equal to or higher than mere sensible heatrecovered, and reduction of fuel consumption can be enhanced.

In addition, a fuel cell, which is supplied with reformed fuel from thefuel reformer, is provided. Thus, it becomes possible to realize highefficiency gas turbine equipment topped with the high efficiency powergeneration of the fuel cell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic system diagram of turbine equipment according to afirst embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic system diagram of turbine equipment according to asecond embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic system diagram of turbine equipment according to athird embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic system diagram of turbine equipment according to afourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic system diagram of turbine equipment according to afifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic system diagram of turbine equipment according to asixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic system diagram of turbine equipment according to aseventh embodiment of the current invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic system diagram of turbine equipment according toan eighth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic system diagram of turbine equipment according to aninth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be described in greater detail with referenceto the accompanying drawings.

Turbine equipment 1 according to the first embodiment is described basedon FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the turbine equipment 1 has a compressor 2, acombustor 3, and a turbine 4, and a generator 5 is coaxially connectedto the compressor 2. Air, compressed by and discharged from thecompressor 2, is charged into the combustor 3 together with fuel f, anda combustion gas from the combustor 3 is expanded by the turbine 4. Partof compressed air discharged from the compressor 2 is cooled by a cooler6, and merged with a working fluid for the turbine 4 in order to coolrotor blades of the turbine 4.

The turbine equipment 1 has a plurality of (two in the illustratedembodiment) introduction passages 7 for introducing air, which has beenbled from the compressor 2, for the purpose of cooling the blades(stationary blades) of the turbine 4, and each introduction passage 7 isequipped with a cooler 8. Air bled from the compressor 2 is cooled bythe cooler 8, and introduced into the turbine 4. An introduction passage9 is provided for introducing part of compressed air, which has beendischarged from the compressor 2, for the purpose of cooling thestationary blades of the turbine 4, and the introduction passage 9 isequipped with a cooler 10.

In the above-described turbine equipment 1, part of compressed airdischarged from the compressor 2 is cooled by the cooler 6, and mergedwith the working fluid for the turbine 4 to cool the rotor blades of theturbine 4. Further, air from the compressor 2 is bled through theintroduction passages 7, and the bled air is cooled by the coolers 8 andintroduced to the stationary blades of the turbine 4. The stationaryblades of the turbine 4 are cooled with air cooled by the coolers 8.Also, part of compressed air discharged from the compressor 2 isintroduced into the introduction passage 9, and cooled by the cooler 10to cool the stationary blades of the turbine 4.

Thus, air for blade cooling is cooled by the coolers 8, so that thetemperature of air introduced to the stationary blades of the turbine 4can be lowered. Hence, a sufficient cooling effect is obtained by asmall amount of air, and the amount of compressed air bled through theintroduction passages 7 can be decreased. As a result, air charged intothe combustor 3 (and turbine 4) can be increased in amount, thus makingit possible to convert the compression power into turbine outputeffectively.

Turbine equipment 11 according to the second embodiment is describedbased on FIG. 2. The same constituent elements as in the turbineequipment 1 shown in FIG. 1 are assigned the same numerals, andduplicate explanations are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, the turbine equipment 11 has an air recovery blade12 provided in a turbine 4, and an introduction passage 13 is providedfor guiding air, which has been recovered from the air recovery blade12, to stationary blades on a low pressure side of the turbine 4. Theintroduction passage 13 is equipped with a cooler 14, and air, which hasbeen recovered from the air recovery blade 12, is cooled by the cooler14, and introduced to the stationary blades on the low pressure side ofthe turbine 4. An introduction passage 9 is merged into the introductionpassage 13 on a downstream side of the cooler 14.

In the above-described turbine equipment 11, part of compressed airdischarged from the compressor 2 is introduced into the introductionpassage 9, and cooled by a cooler 10 to cool the air recovery blade 12of the turbine 4. Further, air recovered from the air recovery blade 12is cooled by the cooler 14, and introduced to the stationary blades onthe low pressure side of the turbine 4 to cool the stationary blades ofthe turbine 4.

Thus, air for cooling is cooled by the cooler 10 and the cooler 14, sothat the temperature of air introduced to the stationary blades of theturbine 4 can be lowered. Hence, a sufficient cooling effect is obtainedby a small amount of air, and the amount of compressed air bled throughan introduction passage 7 can be decreased. Accordingly, an amount ofair charged into a combustor 3 can be increased, thus making it possibleto convert the compression power into turbine output effectively.

Turbine equipment 16 according to the third embodiment is describedbased on FIG. 3. The same constituent elements as in the turbineequipment 11 shown in FIG. 2 are assigned the same numerals, andduplicate explanations are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 3, the turbine equipment 16 further has a compressor17, a combustor 18 and a turbine 19 on a high pressure side. The highpressure side turbine 19 is provided with an air recovery blade 20, andair discharged from the compressor 17 and cooled by a cooler 6 isintroduced to the air recovery blade 20. An introduction passage 21 isprovided for guiding air, which has been recovered from the air recoveryblade 20, to an air recovery blade 12 of a turbine 4 on a low pressureside. The introduction passage 21 is equipped with a cooler 22. Air,which has passed through the air recovery blade 20, is cooled by thecooler 22, and introduced to the air recovery blade 12 of the turbine 4.An exhaust gas incorporation passage 23 is provided for incorporatingair, which has passed through the air recovery blade 12, into an exhaustgas from the turbine 19 on the high pressure side.

It is permissible to guide air from the introduction passage 21 to aworking fluid for the low pressure side turbine 4 (incorporation passagea), rather than to the air recovery blade 12. The air recovered from theair recovery blade 12 can be fed to and used for other instrument systemb, without being incorporated into the exhaust gas from the highpressure side turbine 19.

The embodiment shown is an embodiment in which low pressure sidecompressor 2, combustor 3 and turbine 4, and high pressure sidecompressor 17, combustor 18 and turbine 19 are provided in series.However, like turbine equipment 30 according to the fourth embodimentshown in FIG. 4, a compressor 24, a combustor 25 and a turbine 26 on anintermediate pressure side can be further provided in series, an airrecovery blade 15 can be provided in the turbine 26, and an introductionpassage 27, an exhaust gas incorporation passage 28 and a cooler 29 canbe provided. In this case, an exhaust gas flowing through the exhaustgas incorporation passage 28 is incorporated into the exhaust gas sideof the high pressure side turbine 19 (indicated by a solid line in thedrawing). The air flowing through the exhaust gas incorporation passage23, on the other hand, may be incorporated into the exhaust gas side ofthe turbine 19 (indicated by a dotted line in the drawing), or into theexhaust gas side of the intermediate pressure side turbine 26 (indicatedby a solid line in the drawing).

In the above-described turbine equipment 16, air recovered from the airrecovery blade 20 is cooled by the cooler 22, and introduced to the airrecovery blade 12 of the turbine 4. Further, air recovered from the airrecovery blade 12 is incorporated into the exhaust gas from the highpressure side turbine 19. Thus, air for cooling is cooled by the cooler6 and the cooler 22, so that common air is introduced to the stationaryblades of the turbine 4 and the turbine 19. Hence, the amounts of aircharged into the combustors and the turbines increase, thus making itpossible to convert the compression power into turbine outputeffectively.

Turbine equipment 31 according to the fifth embodiment is describedbased on FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 5, the turbine equipment 31 has a compressor 32, acombustor 39 and a turbine 33, and a generator 34 is coaxially connectedto the compressor 32. Moreover, a compressor 41, a combustor 42 and aturbine 43 on a high pressure side are also provided. A set of thecompressor 32, combustor 39 and turbine 33, and a set of the compressor41, combustor 42 and turbine 43 are disposed in parallel. A generator 40is coaxially connected to the compressor 41.

Intake air cooled by a cooler 35 is introduced into the compressor 32,where it is compressed. An absorption refrigerating machine 36, which isactuated by recovered heat from a cooler 37, is provided. Compressedair, which has been compressed by and discharged from the compressor 32,is charged into the intake air cooler 37 and a cooler 38 for cooling,and is then compressed by the high pressure side compressor 41. Theintake air cooler 37 feeds a working fluid (e.g., hot water, steam) forthe absorption refrigerating machine 36. Compressed air compressed byand discharged from the compressor 41 is charged, together with fuel f,into the combustor 42, and a combustion gas from the combustor 42 isexpanded by the turbine 43. An exhaust gas from the turbine 43 ischarged, together with fuel f, into the combustor 39, and a combustiongas from the combustor 39 is expanded by the turbine 43.

The turbine 43 is provided with an air recovery blade 44, and part ofcompressed air discharged from the compressor 41 is cooled by a cooler45, and introduced to the air recovery blade 44. The turbine 33 isprovided with an air recovery blade 46, and an introduction passage 47is provided for guiding air, which has been recovered from the airrecovery blade 44, to the air recovery blade 46 of the turbine 33. Theintroduction passage 47 is equipped with a cooler 48, where air forblade cooling is cooled with cold water from the absorptionrefrigerating machine 36. An exhaust gas incorporation passage 49 isprovided for incorporating air, which has been recovered from the airrecovery blade 46, into an exhaust gas from the turbine 43.

In the above-described turbine equipment 31, the set of the compressor32, combustor 39 and turbine 33, and the set of the compressor 41,combustor 42 and turbine 43 are disposed in parallel. The cooler 35 andthe intake air cooler 37 are provided on the entrance side of thecompressor 32 and the compressor 41. By this arrangement, intake air forthe compressor 32, and intake air for the compressor 41 are cooled toincrease the efficiency. Moreover, air for cooling the turbine 33 andthe turbine 43 is cooled by the coolers 45, 48, so that the temperatureof air introduced to stationary blades of the turbine 33 and the turbine43 is lowered. Because of this drop in temperature, a sufficient coolingeffect is obtained by a small amount of air. Thus, the amounts of airfed from the combustor 42 to the turbine 43, and air fed from thecombustor 39 to the turbine 33, as well as the amount of exhaust gases,can be increased. Hence, it becomes possible to increase fluids whichare converted into turbine output effectively. Furthermore, theabsorption refrigerating machine 36 is actuated by recovered heat fromthe intake air cooler 37. Thus, in addition to heat recovery, the intakeair cooler 35 and the coolers 45, 48 perform air cooling with cold waterfrom the absorption refrigerating machine 36.

The foregoing turbine equipment 31 is biaxial equipment having the setof the compressor 32, combustor 39 and turbine 33, and the set of thecompressor 41, combustor 42 and turbine 43 disposed in parallel.However, the turbine equipment may be triaxial equipment, like turbineequipment 51 according to the sixth embodiment shown in FIG. 6, whichfurther has a set of a compressor 52, a combustor 53, a turbine 54having an air recovery blade 50, and a generator 55 on an intermediatepressure side disposed in parallel with the above two sets. In thiscase, exhaust gas from the exhaust gas incorporation passage 49 isincorporated into both of (or one of) the exhaust gas side of theintermediate pressure side turbine 43 (indicated by a solid line in thedrawing) and an exhaust gas side of the high pressure side turbine 43(indicated by a dotted line in the drawing).

Turbine equipment 61 according to the seventh embodiment is describedbased on FIG. 7.

As shown in FIG. 7, the turbine equipment 61 has a compressor 62, acombustor 63 and a turbine 64, and a generator 65 is coaxially connectedto the compressor 62. Moreover, a compressor 66, a combustor 67 and aturbine 68 on a high pressure side are also provided. A set of thecompressor 62, combustor 63 and turbine 64, and a set of the compressor66, combustor 67 and turbine 68 are disposed in parallel. A generator 69is coaxially connected to the compressor 66.

Since air after having been compressed by the compressor 62 has a hightemperature, it is charged into the compressor 66, after its temperatureis lowered by heat exchange with fuel f in a fuel heater 70. This mannercorresponds to the use of fuel f as a cold heat source for a cooler(FIG. 5, numeral 37). Compressed air, which has been compressed by anddischarged from the compressor 66, is charged into the combustor 67,together with fuel f heated by the fuel heater 70. A combustion gas fromthe combustor 67 is expanded by the turbine 68. An exhaust gas from theturbine 68 is charged into the combustor 63, together with fuel f heatedby the fuel heater 70, and a combustion gas from the combustor 63 isexpanded by the turbine 64.

The above-described turbine equipment 61 is designed such that theintake air to be charged into the compressor 66 undergoes heat exchangewith the fuel f in the fuel heater 70. Thus, cooling of intake air canbe carried out by a very simple configuration, and compression power canbe decreased. Furthermore, recovered heat is converted into thepotential heat of fuel, so that a fuel saving results in a highelectrical efficiency.

Turbine equipment 71 according to the eighth embodiment is describedbased on FIG. 8. The same constituent elements as in the turbineequipment 71 shown in FIG. 7 are assigned the same numerals, andduplicate explanations are omitted.

The illustrated turbine equipment 71 is provided with a reformer 72having a reforming catalyst, instead of the fuel heater 70, and has afuel cell 73 instead of the combustor 67. High temperature compressedair, which has been compressed by a compressor 62, is charged into thereformer 72, where it is used as a heat source for fuel reforming(methane, methanol, and the like) to perform heat exchange (cooling).The fuel reformed by the reformer 72 is fed to the fuel cell 73, andalso charged into a combustor 63. An exhaust gas from a turbine 68 ischarged into the combustor 63, together with the fuel reformed by thereformer 72. A combustion gas from the combustor 63 is expanded by aturbine 64.

In the above-described turbine equipment 71, compressed air to becharged into the compressor 66 is cooled by the reformer 72, and thefuel reformed by the reformer 72 is charged into the combustor 63. Thus,cooling of intake air can be performed without the use of an instrumentdedicated to cooling, and fuel consumption can be reduced by increasingthe calories of fuel.

Turbine equipment 75 according to the ninth embodiment is describedbased on FIG. 9. The same constituent elements as in the turbineequipment 71 shown in FIG. 7 are assigned the same numerals, andduplicate explanations are omitted.

The illustrated turbine equipment 75 is provided with a reformer 76having a reforming catalyst and a fuel cell 77, instead of the combustor67, and reformed fuel f₁ from the reformer 76 is charged into thecombustor 63. Fuel f₀ heated by a fuel heater 70 is charged into thereformer 76, where it is used as a heat source for fuel reforming,together with high temperature discharged air from a compressor 66. Thefuel f₁ reformed by the reformer 76 is fed to the fuel cell 77, and alsocharged into the combustor 63. Any of the fuel f₀ from the fuel heater70 and the original fuel f can be used for the combustor 63. An exhaustgas from a turbine 68 is charged into the combustor 63, together withthe fuels f, f₀ and f₁. A combustion gas from the combustor 63 isexpanded by a turbine 64.

In the above-described turbine equipment, intake air to be charged intothe compressor 66 undergoes heat exchange with the fuel f in the fuelheater 70. Thus, cooling of intake air can be carried out by a verysimple configuration, and compression power to the compressor 66 can bedecreased. Moreover, the fuel f heated by the fuel heater 70 is reformedby the reformer 76, and fed to the fuel cell 77, so that the fuel cell77 can be operated at a high pressure. Furthermore, the fuels f₁, f₀reformed by the reformer 76 are charged into the low pressure sidecombustor 63 in order to achieve a reduction in fuel consumption by thecalorie increase of fuel.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, air for blade cooling can be cooled by the cooler,and introduced into the turbine. Thus, the temperature of air introducedto the blades of the turbine can be lowered. Moreover, compressed airfor blade cooling can be reduced to increase air for turbine actuation.Thus, it becomes possible to convert compression power into turbineoutput effectively. Accordingly, turbine equipment with increased powergeneration output is realized.

1. A system comprising: a first compressor; a first turbine having anair recovery blade therein; a first passage for guiding a portion of airdischarged from an exit of said first compressor to said air recoveryblade, and for guiding air which has been recovered from said airrecovery blade to blades on a side of said first turbine that is at alower pressure than is a side of said first turbine on which said airrecovery blade is positioned; a first cooler for cooling air that hasbeen recovered from said air recovery blade, said first cooler beingprovided in said first passage; and a second passage for merging air,bled from said first compressor upstream of said exit of said firstcompressor, with air flowing from said first cooler.